We set out on September 8, 1999, aboard a chattered aircraft by the Federal Ministry of Sports as one of the very few privileged sports journalists amid Nigeria’s contingent enroute to Johannesburg, South Africa to attend the 7th All Africa Games starting on September 10, 1999. 

South Africa it must be stated was privileged to be given the hosting rights of this edition after attending for the first time in Harare, Zimbabwe following the sports embargo on them because of Apartheid. 

Many queried the granting of the hosting rights for several reasons especially as the games last held in Zimbabwe which many called “South African backyard” and therefore not morally right for one region to host the games back-to-back. Well, the games have been scheduled, and we must go on. 

We arrived at Oliver Tambo International airport late in the evening and the fierce-looking security operatives kept us in the aircraft until they had the vessel completely fumigated with all of us aboard and covering our noses and eyes with the minister who was the leader of delegation and other dignitaries seated. They showed us the very first sign of hostility. Even though the authorities said the fleet was not harmful, it was completely demeaning and very unfriendly, to which they never bordered. 

It was a case of if you don’t comply, you turn your aircraft and head back to Nigeria. We remained in the aircraft for upwards of 30 minutes before we were then allowed to disembark. The street looked so aggressive, quite in contradistinction to what was obtained elsewhere during international competitions. Courtesy to visiting teams was part of the tenets of hosting multinational and international events but  I stated in my first report to Nigeria, I said they had a carryover of the atrocities of apartheid. Oga Ernest cautioned me after the report as South Africa was then Nigeria’s baby being nurtured and breast fed for proper growth. 

Accreditation was a big battle especially for Nigerian journalists whose numbers outnumbered those of the home journalists. We struggled through and the games began on the 10th of September at the historical FNB Stadium. The opening ceremony was a thrilling nostalgia as South Africa sought to reenact their experiences in nation building especially during the apartheid era through dance, parables and Zulu warriors showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Rainbow nation. 

The games began the next day with about 53 countries participating in 18 sports and FNB stadium serving as the hub for most of the events. 

There were, prior to the 7th All Africa Games some labor issues with the home government which threatened the games, but if every other or many other things were wrong, the games organizing committee was determined to showcase almost a flawless spectacle and must be given kudos for the way they nipped in the bud all centrifugal forces that would have derailed the games. 

Just a day to the opening ceremony, there was rumored food poisoning in the camp involving over six hundred children rehearsing for the opening event. There was palpable fear that the ceremony was going to be cancelled, but in the immediate press briefing, everything one needed to know was put bare on the table, thereby putting away all negative theories. If it were a certain country that I know, the officials would all been living in denials and lies and would rather be looking for perceived or imagined enemies to accuse.

With the games now fully under way after the opening ceremony, medals started to tumble, and athletics brought the excitement needed. Maria Mutola, the moving train of Mozambique won in her natural event, the 800 meters winning the gold medal in three consecutive editions in 1991 in Cairo, 1995 in Harare and now in Johannesburg. This showcased Mutola’s dominance in the 800 meters event, solidifying her reputation as one of the greatest female 800 meters runner of all time. I jokingly suggested that instead of Mozambique wasting money to bring a large contingent, they could just bring only Maria Mutola and they were assured of at least a gold medal.

Nigeria’s Mercy Nku won gold in 100- and 200-meters women, setting a record of 11.03 seconds in the 100 meters. Her celebration was rather bizarre as she attributed her victory to the “God of TB Joshua”. She was celebrated by the Nigerian and the world press but all she was saying was, “please thank the God of TB Joshua”, she also did not have a good word for the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, AFN, and I knew instantly that greater trouble was brewing. I was therefore not surprised when she fell out with the Federation, and she began mulling the idea of porting to other land and openly expressing her regrets for running for Nigeria. It didn’t start today with AFN!

During the games, Nigerian journalists had a raw deal with the LOC of the games. It was long in coming but we held ourselves to swallow the insults but, on this day, we could no longer bear it and we dared the LOC. Their chairman had threatened Hameed Adio of the NTA for making a valid observation, but they would not have it and threatened to cancel Hammed’s Accreditation, I jumped in and dared them, and they now included me in the sanction, but trust us, the larger Nigerian army of journalists swarmed the place and volunteered to also relinquish their accreditations. It was riotous, and the LOC sensing real danger ahead barked down but we persisted. As a matter of fact, if Nigerian journalists pull out of the coverage, then the entire coverage would be jeopardized. After much heckling, truce came, calm returned
And we went back for the coverage of the remaining days in the ten-day fiesta, but at least the South Africans knew Nigerians were tough meat to chew. At the end of the games, South Africa won again for the second consecutive time followed by Egypt again in the second position while Nigeria took the third position, like the rankings in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Cameroon won the football event after defeating Zambia 4-3 on penalties after the match ended in a stalemate, a second time she will be winning gold in the event. The streets of Johannesburg perhaps offered welcoming warmth, making up for what was nonexistent on the field. Almost 90% of the female cheerleaders became “emergency” mobile entrepreneurs hawking their wares almost from room to room, and at very affordable prizes, perhaps a sign that there was light “inside” the tunnel after all.

Despite the hiccups experienced during the games, the 7th All Africa Games, Johannesburg, South Africa 1999, organizers and participants gave a pass mark,  to the LOC, the government and the people of South Africa as attested by the IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch.